Donna Vail

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One of my favorite speakers, Glen Doman, once said that families have a whole room for their cars, but they don’t have a learning space in their homes for children. That stuck with me while I was raising my children. I remember growing up with a large and growing library that my parents bought, and oodles of resources – paper, glue, scissors, fabric, sewing machines, a wood shop, wood scraps, balls, games and more.

And I realized that my parents had done just that.

We had a lot of freedom to explore the world – a large backyard with a small “forested” area behind a row of houses, an old apple orchard, a neighborhood with a small lake – all without the fear we have today.

But there is so much we didn’t have back then. Today Donna Vail discusses some aspects of life that were little understood by most of us. It’s a way to empower our children without controlling them. It’s such a hard balance when it hasn’t been modeled for us by our parents. We tend to imitate what we’ve lived, and need to be intentional when we realize there’s a better way. So experiment with the concepts in this newsletter and let us know when you get stuck.

This post is the first of a newsletter to help families, grandparents and teachers create a peaceful learning lifestyle at home and at school. We believe that just like a business can create systems and a positive culture and succeed at what they do, so can families. And we want to help you get there. Along the way, we want you to tell us what you want help with.

This first installmentwant is a little long, but we’re including a short intro and our bios before Donna’s insightful piece.

Before you move on, sign up for the newsletter so you don’t miss issue #2!

Before you read this issue, be sure to sign up below for the newsletter so you don’t miss an issue! And please share with your friends who are raising families or who are involved grandparents! We aren’t sure how often we’ll publish, but it will not be more than once a week.

Both Donna and I have homeschooled our children.

Donna’s Bio:

Donna has six children she’s homeschooled over the past 20 years while she also continues to coach and support parents in a family-centered learning philosophy that inspires parents to live extraordinary lives while empowering their children through self-education and customized learning.

Her clients are from around the world and range from professionals and entrepreneurs to stay-at-home moms and teachers, single-child families to families with many children. She works with families who have special needs and those who struggle with children who are creative, tending to be labeled. Connect with Donna and access her wealth of resources at http://donnavailinternational.com.

About Christiane:

Christiane is a special education teacher (intervention specialist) with an M.Ed in Curriculum & Instruction, and an M.Ed in Special Education. Presently, she substitute teaches and tutors and cooks gourmet vegan meals at home and for others. She has five children (one adopted as a teenager) and two grandchildren.

This newsletter is not just for homeschooling families. Our intention is to help all families have the tools they need to holistically nurture their children in positive ways. So whether you’re creating your child’s curriculum, or helping them with homework and giving them enrichment – we want to help.

So we’re calling this newsletter temporarily “Creating Positive Learning Lifestyles.” But we’d like help giving it a better name. Please make some suggestions!

Academics and how to make learning easier, more effective, and do-able

How to develop a lifestyle-of-learning mindset

How to bond the family together, during developing years, for life

Creative communications for connection

Help for work at home parents balancing work, life, and education

Practical ways to understand how the brain works for optimum results

Bring harmony and family-centeredness to your home

Why academics seem so hard and how to bust through the blocks

Featured Article

How to Help Your Children Take Ownership of Their Education

When your child takes hours and hours to complete a lesson that would normally only take 45 minutes to an hour, this is a sign something is not in sync. He’s lost his way, isn’t managing due to specific circumstances, has lost inspiration and connection with purposeful learning or has things happening that he doesn’t feel he can control. Often times it’s dismissed as disobedience or when they’re teens, rebellion. But what if it’s not and all this time we’ve been blaming it on them and pushing them to rebellion; when we only needed to partner with them, walk beside them, love them unconditionally and be more of a mentor than parent or teacher?

I begin guiding my children to take ownership of their education from the start. If you have older children, don’t let that stop you because we can always begin from where we stand. This is exactly what I do with clients who have older children, even teens. We have to know, believe and breathe that no matter where we are in life, it’s never too late to start, become better or gain new clarity. This is true no matter how young or old we are in life.

Here’s right where we begin, with you the parent. This is going to necessitate that you first take ownership of being the parent and partner in education and life with your children. While you may know it’s your responsibility, if you’re in a place of non-action, overwhelm, too much of the wrong action, desperation, crying, whining or blaming, these are all tell-tale signs you’re not owning up. These can be cold hard truths. I know, I’ve had to step up to my areas where I’ve not taken ownership. It’s not always pretty. It can be crushing and heartbreaking, but through the worst of the worst, I’ve learned over the years; trust life and love because it’s all always for your highest good. You’re always going to find a silver lining, because this is the dynamic of human growth.

Let’s dive into steps you can take to help guide your children into taking ownership of their education. In the process, you’re going to learn success practices that will not only empower your children but will help you level up in your business, parenting, relationships and personal development.

Mirroring: The family dynamic is wired so perfectly that everyone involved in our current experience is a part of our highest growth. This is true no matter your age or what position you’re holding in the family. What I like about this is it puts us all on equal ground. It also relieves me of controlling them.

The way this works is if you recognize it in others, you’ll have something of the same nature that you need to address. Here’s an example: One day I was talking to my sons about cleaning their desks. They had let their desks get piled with all kinds of things. Suddenly I was struck by the question, how does my own desk look? It had piles and was not organized at all. I let go of “making” them clean their desks, straightened my desk quietly and got it into order. Then it wasn’t long after that they were happily clearing off their desks because they owned it. Another common occurrence is when we expect our children to sit and study. Remember, our children are modeling us and the modeling is a much stronger influence than words telling them what to do. If you’ll notice when you want your children to do their studies yet you are up and down doing laundry, answering calls, the doorbell, cleaning and such, you suddenly realize they’ve stepped away from their studies. Then usually follows a verbal battle to get them back on their work. To them, they’re just doing as you’re doing. It’s almost as if they can’t help it. I like to think there’s magnets in them that magnetize them to me. It’s really a beautiful thing when you think about the big picture that we’re wired like this as humans to be able to adapt to our environment and culture for survival. So we must be responsible as parents to use this as a tool. To work with life, rather than push against it. This means when something is coming up I’m looking in my life to see where it’s present. Then I work on it. If I can clean my desk and sit down to read and study then I will be a better me. I will have more as a person to offer them. And so my modeling is matching what I want to see in them. A big lesson for us all to be what it is we need to be to have the experience we desire. Give it a try, just experiment with it and let me know how it works for you.

Modeling: In addition to the mirroring work above, set out to model what you want to see. Telling your children what to do and leaving them to it does not create a successful result, even with the best of the best children. They are new to all this and learning. While they’re wired to learn and born doing it, we can’t just hand them books and tell them to study. They need a partner, a mentor and a guide. They’ll usually catch on pretty quick but initially you’ll need to orient them, guide them and model for them what to do. While my children are studying I’m sitting at the table doing my own reading and writing. Learning is a lifelong pursuit so I show them that we’re always making time to study and learn in our everyday living. I take a mentoring approach where I walk beside them as partners. My mentor mantra is: Provide, guide and step aside. So I provide content-rich materials that are self-education friendly, I guide them through the process as what to do, then I step aside and let them do the work themselves. Even if it’s messy or wrong. Then we look at it, I guide them and then step aside again for them to do the work. This is allowing them to learn how to do it. They’re going to mess up. They’re going to make mistakes and sometimes they’re going to fail. But this is always in the safety of you. Giving them this example, supporting them through mentoring, allowing them to do the work; this is an investment on your part that will pay big dividends all through the years. Be the model of what you want to see.

Mentor: One of the top success practices of the most highly successful people in the world is setting goals, doing the work and adjusting along the course. We can set ourselves up with do-able goals but inevitably something will show up to throw a wrench in the well-laid plan. For our academic studies, each day we have a plan as to what we’ll accomplish. One of those goals is to complete a full math lesson each day. Occasionally one of the children will be distracted, not thinking, getting next to nothing done on his math and sometimes hanging upside down in his chair. I could get really upset, dishing out ultimatums, setting timers, punishing, or taking away privileges but really, none of that is very effective. I will sit with infinite patience. After a time of not seeing it improving I’ll ask, “You doing OK? I notice you’re not doing your math.” I might get an OK and still no productivity. Seeing it taking up most of the time we’ve set for studies, I will check in on the items that could be interfering with concentration of study such as: Is the child in a distraction-free environment that inspires learning? Has he had sufficient nutrition to give him brain power? Did he get enough sleep? Is he fighting an illness? Does he need to move around and expend some energy to regain focus, or is there any family or relational stress? Once I’ve either narrowed it down to one of these, or even if it’s none of these, I will sit with him asking, “How did it go today with your studies?” “What did you do that worked to complete your math?” “What did you do that contributed to you not doing your math?” “What do you need to change in order to be able to complete today’s math lesson and move forward in your goals?” “What will you do tomorrow to create a successful result?” “What do you need from me to support you in your goals?” Notice how this always takes it back to the child and what he’s going to do. Now I’m not the one making this happen but rather asking him how he’s going to make it happen. When I let go of being the person to make it happen, it opens up the opportunity for the child to take it on. Now that you’ve let go of “making” everything happen, your children are empowered to be more successful and now you’ve opened up yourself to be more successful. You can be responsible for your business and they can be responsible for their business.

Whether your children are at home schooling, enrolled in a school or if you’re an educator responsible for a class full of children, when we walk beside them as partners they’re empowered to success. Remember, they’re children. While they do need to make choices, it needs to be in the safety you offer and within the selection of what’s best for them. As they grow and get older they’ll be more discerning. Once they take ownership of their own education, you’ll see them fly and I promise that all the times mirroring, modeling and mentoring will be more than worth it. I can’t even begin to describe the blissful feeling within when you see them succeed. Definitely tears of inspiration.

Inspired Action in the Homeschool: Take time to set yourself up with these practices. Begin with one at a time, creating success with it and then moving to the next. If these practices are new to you, take time to read and re-read so you can truly understand it. As you are mentoring your children, don’t forget to also secure mentoring or support for yourself. It can be intense mentoring to level up or support where you can get your questions answered and be reassured because so much of this is a learning curve we all must get around. In the end, the family-centered learning creates whole family success in all areas of life.

Inspired Action for After School: When your children have been gone all day at school they’ll need time to decompress once they get home. Go on a walk together, get out in nature or have a snack together giving them time to decompress and express how their day has been. Then set them up with an inspiring learning environment for their homework. Sit with them to model as described above. Even when it’s done during this short time, it’s going to be that bit giving them a leading edge. Can you read a classic aloud as a family before bed? Or with older children, read the same book and discuss it. The more you can engage in learning with them, the more empowered they will be, in all their learning. This also creates a great family bond that needs extra attention when so much time is spent away from home.

Inspired Action in Schools: In your classrooms, look to see how you can create an inspiring learning environment. These mirroring, modeling and mentoring practices are just as important for you to incorporate because you have many children you influence every day. Better to be fully present than stressed and pressed. Walk beside them, empowering them to take on their own education. Can you create individual meeting times with students or even small focus mentor groups within your classes?

When we’re in search of peace, love and harmony for the family we don’t have to look far. Amazingly enough, it is already there and all you have to do is go within to bring it out. It sounds simple, but with so many different personalities involved challenges do arise.

When raising a family it’s important to remember that everyone can’t possibly be on the same page at the same time. These differences of personalities and opinions are what creates the dynamics of the family. One thing it will most certainly do is test your patience, but more importantly it teaches you to love, and true love is unconditional.

The most important time in one’s life is the first seven years. This time frame is the foundation of your life. The academics are important, this is true, but a child without love will simply wither away. As we mature we begin relying on that upbringing for sustainability, but is it sustaining you? And now that you have children of your own you’re creating what will sustain them. At times we can feel at a loss because of the conditions we have brought forward in ourselves. Don’t worry if you feel like you don’t know how to right the wrongs of the past. I am going to show you how you can parent yourself while you parent your children.

If you don’t like what is showing up in your children’s behavior, rather than correcting them, take a hard look at yourself and ask what it is inside you that caused this behavior to show up. Sometimes you will get an answer or realization immediately. Now is the opportunity to heal yourself, correct yourself and watch and observe as your children quietly correct themselves.

Remember, children mirror what they see. They’re simply reacting to you, whether you’re in a good mood, grumpy, down or even angry. They are constantly mirroring it back to you. Give it a try and test it. Note the mood you’re in and observe your children. What you will begin to notice is just how influential your emotional state is on your children’s behavior. The beauty of this is that we can’t really control others but we have total control of ourselves.

Could the friction in your family simply be unmet expectations? It’s easy to have preconceived ideas, conditions we bring with us from our own past. It’s time to listen with your heart and live from the soul. Remember, your children are a perfect match for you and a family as a whole. Forgive your children for being different and challenging you to accept new ideas. You don’t have to have it all figured out so you can ease up and let everyone be exactly who they are.

First steps into finding this peace, love and harmony will be in working on yourself and giving others the space for full support through mind, body and soul practices. Some of these practices I have suggested to you before. At times I will rearrange them creating more ease and opening minds to realize how great of a difference this makes. You will either be creating this as a new practice or re-evaluating your current practice to be sure you’re including all practices that are necessary for you to be at your best, to live from a place of peace, love and harmony.

Begin immediately including in your everyday Practices in Wellbeing: 1) Quiet time, meditation, prayer, 2) Plenty of sleep and rest, 3) Replenish the body with a healthy diet of clean and nutrient dense foods and 4) Exercise at the pace that’s right for you. When you honor yourself and take care of your body you will be empowered to be fully present and engaged in your relationships.

Next, sit down with each family member individually and take them through a questioning process so you can better know them and honor them individually. Do this for yourself as well.

What do you really want in life and are most passionate about?

What is really, really important to you?

What makes you the very happiest?

What do you owe somebody an apology for?

What can you do to help yourself accomplish your desires and dreams?

What do you wish were different?

What do you want to contribute to the family and how do you want to help with the household?

What do you want to do together?

Write these down on a paper for each person in your family including yourself. You might even want to create a spreadsheet. Post it on the wall or bulletin board and create an accountability team as a family to support and encourage each other to honor each member and fulfill these desires. Remember the key here is to honor each other, so if someone brings up something that upsets another, carefully work through it or decide to allow the other person that privilege. Over time they will be fulfilled and may change, so be sure to practice this numerous times according to your family’s needs.

Taking time to really be present for one another is what will bond and carry you through a lifetime of peace, love and harmony. Find it now and as your children grow it will continue to flow. By living this way, your children learn and recognize that this is how relationships are strengthened. As they grow, they will be good at passing it on to others as well as their own families when they are grown.

Choose peace and always look within first. Stay inspired and find your place of peace, love and harmony.

“Of life’s two chief prizes, beauty and truth, I found the first in a loving heart and the second in a laborer’s hand.” –Kahlil Gibran

Parents Inspired to Action:

Work on yourself first and be aware of your actions and reactions. Be the observer when it comes to your children and their behavior. How are you feeling and how are they acting out? Is there any correlation?

Sit with your children and go through the question process so you can really know them. Share the answers you have for these questions as well so they can know you. Once you have that completed, use the list as a goal sheet and support one another through the process of fulfilling that listed. Always choose the path of love as you work through these changes and your relationship grows.

Children Inspired to Action:

Create a positive experience with your children as you sit and interview them with the questions listed above. Put them at ease by being fully present and taking time to ponder the questions openly. Give them a turn in the interviewer’s seat and allow them to ask you the questions. This can be very fun and creative.You might be wondering what kind of systems you can incorporate to get the results you’re looking for in your own homeschool and life. What are the daily details to make it happen? Trial and error can take a lot of time. Successful people always incorporate the help of mentors and coaches so they don’t have to re-invent the wheel. If you would like a more systematic approach that includes the details to help you produce real change fast, I recommend joining the Mentor Mastery Inner Circle. It keeps you inspired and gives you the most important things for setting up simple, effective systems giving your children an education in excellence while creating family harmony. It’s easy. It’s affordable. Get started today at www.donnavailinternational.com/inner-circle.html.

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” Pablo Picasso

Springtime is the season for new life, new beginnings. Winter has given way to shedding of the old and the newness of spring. How is your homeschool aligned with the change of seasons? Are you stuck in old ways of doing things? Likely, when you decided to educate your children at home, your only concept of education was that which you learned going through 12 years of the public school system. As parents and educators, we need to be mindful not to bring the “old ways” of the public school system home. We must be open to the beauty, wonder and flexibility that homeschooling makes available to our children and capitalize on that potential. Otherwise we are simply repeating the mistakes made in the public school system at home.

The example of springtime is a wonderful metaphor to illustrate the growth potential children have when they are educated at home. Many public school systems today are under serious budget reductions. Typically, the first programs eliminated in these expense cutting exercises are music, drama, dance, poetry and art. Even if the programs remain, public schools emphasize general knowledge rather than specialized knowledge. Has anyone considered how cutting art will affect their future?

The children of today will be retiring in 2065, and no one has a clue what the world will look like in five years much less in 2065. It’s more important than ever to educate the child as a whole, and children naturally have a great capacity for innovation. By allowing the creativity to flow we are giving them their full potential to unlimited possibilities to the future they face which we will never see.

Art is a powerful way to unlock creativity and engage the whole person. Our human culture is rich and diverse as shown by what we fill our world with: music, dance, architecture, design, practical technology, relationships and values. That is the real world. Shouldn’t we be raising and educating our children with an education that is as rich and diverse?

The freedom of homeschooling allows you the freedom to give your children the space they need to be creative and flourish in that creativity.

Now let’s explore three ways to allow it.

1. Find more creative ways to allow education rather than being limited to curriculums, textbooks and worksheets. With An Inspired Education we have a core of academics necessary for education excellence that also allows exploration for individual interests. Each child is encouraged and supported to explore as many different mediums for creativity as possible.

2. Give them time and space. Einstein said, “Boredom is the highest mental state.” Allow time in your schedule for the children to really get into their choice of art. Let them have their music, dance, paint, writing or even building something from junk. Whether you deem it useful or not, we must allow them to express themselves to grow into their own genius. Trust the process.

3. Get comfortable with natural disorder. Anytime we engage in a creative act we immediately create a mess. When we cook we get out a cookbook, utensils, food and dishes. It’s no different working at your desk, cleaning out a closet or any home project. It’s all perfect and necessary as natural disorder gives way to something great. Giving your children a place where they can be creative without worrying about the mess propels them into inspiration to create, learn and grow.

What can you do today to encourage creativity in your children? Consider them each as a whole person, as the hope that they are, educating them so they can face their future which we will not see. Empower them to make something of it.

“Creativity is as important as literacy and we should treat it with the same status.” Ken Robinson

“I run my life like a business — I set priorities and do things in an order — it’s the art of self-conscious living.” Margery Miller

Do you wind things down for the summer? Rather than totally shutting down all academics for “summer” consider using this extra time to set yourself up for daily success, now and when you resume academics. Consistency is crucial and chaos is costly to any homeschool structure. Inconsistencies and chaos cost you time and money, and academics and character building suffer. When things run smoothly, everything is organized and you’re using a proven system, leaving no room for chaos.

A business has to run on purpose to be profitable. Like a business your family and children’s education must be managed in a way that produces results. This means being on point and being laser focused on a daily basis throughout all that we do. It means acting purposefully in all areas.

With all that we have to handle between raising our children, working, keeping the household running, relationships and the list goes on, we could all use more help. Do you feel overwhelmed and at times like you’re the only one working so hard? Systems in place will give you the advantage just as if you had a couple of personal assistants. You’re saving much time and energy with your systems working to your advantage rather than re-inventing the wheel over and over again. There’s no more “shooting from the hip” and you now are confident because you’re making meaningful decisions and seeing results.

Here’s how to get started:

On one half of a page make a list of what you want to do but can’t ever seem to get done. On the second half of the page write anything that is taking too much time, causing you stress or what you would like to eliminate or delegate to someone else.

Review what you’re already doing and group like items, note what you can delegate and determine what can be automated with technology to go on autopilot.

Now it’s time to set it all up so that it flows and can be handled easily. As you’re making adjustments and changes be sure to note what is working so it can become a part of your system. This is where you create the results you want to see over and over again with less effort.

Create an accountability system so you know things are getting done and you can breathe knowing it’s all taken care of, even when you’re sitting back reading that book that you have wanted to read for so long.

Much of what we do can be systematized throughout our daily life, homeschool and business. In your daily life you can systematize household tasks, meal planning, schedules, shopping, appointments, personal email, errands and there’s plenty more I haven’t listed. Consider everything you do and ask yourself, “how could this be systematized?” In your homeschool you can systematize your academic plan, recordkeeping, schedule and outings. We go into depth with all of this in the Inner Circle including combining working and homeschooling.

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” Stephen Covey

What’s fabulous about systems is that you can implement them to work for you and without hiring outside assistance you can make your workload easier to manage. This means less meltdowns, and you can make responsible decisions, honor the whole family and live in harmony.

Parents Inspired to Action:

Take each step through the points listed above to create what you really want to be living.

Implement your system and stay true to your schedule and plan so it can work for you.

Re-evaluate what is not working on its own and determine how it can be handled.

Follow-up will ensure greater success. Minimal management will be necessary to make it work for you.

Children Inspired to Action:

Review your lists with your spouse and your children. Are there any responsibilities that can be shared?

Teenagers these days are up on the latest ways to systematize through technology. What kind of ideas can your older children offer?

Be sure and systematize their academics for usability and effectiveness.

As you walk beside your children through these processes they are learning priceless life lessons. Be sure to include them and everyone can work together as a team.

You’re going to be amazed at how many problems melt away as you create these systems.You’ll have more time to do the things you want to do and space to really enjoy each moment with your family. This is what it’s all about — homeschooling and enjoying all facets of your life as a family.

Do you have specific questions about creating systems? You might be wondering what kind of systems you can incorporate to get the results you’re looking for in your own homeschool and life. What are the daily details to make it happen? Trial and error can take a lot of time. Successful people always incorporate the help of mentors and coaches so they don’t have to re-invent the wheel. If you would like a more systematic approach that includes the details to help you produce real change fast, I recommend joining the Mentor Mastery Inner Circle. It keeps you inspired and gives you the most important things for setting up simple, effective systems giving your children an education in excellence while creating family harmony. It’s all step-by-step supporting you all along the way. It’s easy. It’s affordable. Get started today at www.donnavailinternational.com/inner-circle.html.

“All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.” — Sir Walter Scott

As you begin living An Inspired Education you will be creating a family intellectual life. This creates a well-roundedness in the family unit as you live together; now you will also be thinking together. A natural progression of this will be reaching out to those around you and sharing this intellectual life until it reverberates out into the world. These simple practices and this way of living can and do make a significant difference in the world as a whole, right from the comfort of your own home.

By using self-education practices and employing the classics, your children will learn far more than we could ever teach them as parents or teachers through lessons or traditional teaching styles. Classics teach human nature, which is the main ingredient of leadership. Even though we’re reading about someone else’s life, we are at the same time learning about ourselves and our own personal nature. As we read a classic and become engaged in the story we are learning from others, the results of choices and how to make our own choices that will carry us to the results we desire.

Part of being human is having the ability to face the most difficult questions in life and live through what is most meaningful in life, which is our internal life. As we face daily our joys, love, fear, anger and so forth, we continually ask ourselves if this is what we should be feeling, looking for some sort of guidance or confirmation that we are living appropriately. Through reading the classics you are able to walk beside the greatest people who ever lived. Through these books you are able to share not only their stories but also their thoughts and feelings. You learn how they triumphed in the most difficult situations. This wisdom then becomes a part of the student and is accessed upon demand.

Classics can be hard work at times; however, it’s the “working it out” lessons where we learn and expand our thinking skills. Thinking is like exercise and it must be done regularly to be strong and purposeful.

“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” — Richard Steele

This workout in the reading of classics not only builds thinking skills but also changes the reader forever. Through stories and the sharing of struggles and triumphs, the reader becomes a better person and has more to give and share with the world.

There are only so many hours in a day to read, so it’s imperative to use your time wisely. By the age of 10 children as well as parents can be reading two hours a day. Choose only the best books making the majority classics. Include books that are aligned with the reader’s purpose or building up of one’s character.

While reading the classics it’s important to develop a habit of reading and then reflecting. Include in this practice personal reflection as well as reflecting upon others. For personal reflection I recommend keeping a journal and using this as a regular tool in your education. When reflecting upon others this can be done through discussions or by the reader organizing what was learned into a presentation, service or product.

What can you put into action or apply to your everyday living? Note in your journal, or reflect to others action steps you want to implement as a result of reading a particular classic. Keep in mind that change and forming habits take time. Allow yourself to master a particular habit before implementing another one. It’s better to be focused and successful rather than overwhelmed and frustrated.

Create the physical environment that supports reading for learning. The more comfortable the student is, the more learning is absorbed. Choose a place for studies where fresh air is circulating, drink plenty of fresh spring water, have good lighting preferably from all sides to prevent shadows or glares, wear comfortable clothing and preferably keep the temperature a pleasing 68-72 degrees. Most importantly, keep the environment quiet and free from distractions. The family as a whole needs to make it a priority that a certain block of time is reserved for quiet reading. When the family as a whole respects these described conditions learning is made easier and will happen at natural speed.

Your homeschool is extremely important for the development of your children, the building of family relations and as a center for contribution to society at large. Keeping your focus on excellence will be an investment that pays multiple dividends in a very good life filled with love, peace and harmony. Happy reading!

Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all. — Henry David Thoreau

Parents Inspired to Action:

Begin creating your own classical books list. Include in it the books you feel most important for your children to read before they complete their homeschool studies.

Establish a specific time block for reading.

Create an environment supportive to everyone’s habit of reading to learn.

Provide a journal to be used for note taking and writing reflections.

Discuss readings and share with each other your learning and observations.

Support each other in the habits that each wants to implement from what they’ve read and learned.

Children Inspired to Action:

Allow each child to have a unique reading list that respects their values and educational needs.

Gather as a family and establish your reading block of time and set up parameters to respect everyone involved.

Build up reading time gradually with each child rather than demanding two hours immediately. Start with what’s comfortable with the student, and if that’s 20 minutes, then each week add five minutes until you have achieved up to two hours or more.

Encourage journaling, narration and even project building from what is read.

What can be applied to everyday life from readings? Let them make things, build forts, do drawings, dress-up and drama, artwork, cooking… let your imagination go.

You might be wondering what kind of systems you can incorporate to get the results you’re looking for in your own homeschool and life. What are the daily details to make it happen? Trial and error can take a lot of time. Successful people always incorporate the help of mentors and coaches so they don’t have to re-invent the wheel. If you would like a more systematic approach that includes the details to help you produce real change fast, I recommend joining the Mentor Mastery Inner Circle. It keeps you inspired and you receive coaching directly from Donna in the most important things for setting up simple, effective systems giving your children an education in excellence while creating family harmony. It’s easy. It’s affordable. Get started today at www.donnavailinternational.com/inner-circle.html.

“Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children, and no theories.” –John Wilmot

As your children work through their academics they’re also building character and learning key life lessons. Mentoring them presents you with the opportunities as a parent to experience these self-discoveries with them. Even when life seems like a real struggle or when you feel ill-prepared to deal with what your child is challenging you with, these are all precious moments that strengthen family relationships, building a foundation for the highest good of everyone.

Your role as the parent influences your child, his development and learning but even more so the marriage between husband and wife. You and your spouse are everything—companion, friend, counselor, helper and partner. When both parents realize this, the home becomes a place of good living and fond memories. As your children grow and develop, your partnership will be the most influential relationship they experience, the cornerstone that forms the bond you have with them and how they choose to form relationships with others, present and future.

My children experience every day how to live in loving harmony. Does that mean we just cruise through life problem free? Not even close. Problems do arise, but what matters is how we approach solving those problems and as we work together, the frequency at which problems arise diminish. Solutions to common relationship problems can be found in understanding and appreciating each family member for the unique and special individual they are. Helping our partner get what he wants helps us get what we want. We all see life filtered through the lenses of our own perception, viewing life that is unique to us. It’s our differences, rather than our commonalities, that draw us to each other. Imagine living in a family where everyone thinks the same way, acts the same way, talks the same way. Where’s the fun in all that “sameness”? As we allow each other the freedom to explore individual interests, the entire family dynamic changes. As the individual grows and changes, so does the family. The individual adds value to the family and the family flourishes as a result. Everyone becomes more and has more to bring into the relationship.

We are all here to fulfill a special purpose in life. We each have different values, those aspects of ourselves that are important to us and we are wired to see the world through the perception of those values. When you’re living on purpose, living authentically, in those moments you’re most inspired and fulfilled. However, as we move through the ebb and flow of life we are confronted with others’ values, especially that of our family and of our spouse’s. When we are fully supported in our values we naturally feel open and expansive. When we are being challenged, we close up and withdraw.

Our full commitment is not being with a particular person, but rather living according to our highest values. The misperception of this commitment can at times keep us engaged with an inner or even outer struggle in our relationships. It can also cause us to have unrealistic expectations. When we can adjust our perception and realize we are here to be a sort of “midwife” for each other, we can appreciate the not only the flow of support but the challenges as well.

Not only is your spouse your partner for your highest good but your children are also here to bring about accelerated learning on your behalf. We must keep in mind at all times that we are not only here to teach our children but our children are here to teach us and help us to live to our highest good.

When a situation or challenge arises it is advisable to ask yourself, “How does this benefit me? What does this teach me?” Keep your family in your heart rather than placing them in the pit. At all times you can be reflecting from your heart the words and feelings: “Thank you” and “I love you.”

As you begin reflecting from your heart this gratitude and love, you will be able to more clearly see what is showing up in your spouse or your children as challenges, which are a reflection of something in you that needs adjustment or growth to rise to your highest good and purpose.

The way to best relate and use these opportunities to grow is to be mindful of each individual’s values and honor them at all times, in the way that best supports those values. If you feel like the person is not honoring you in your values, then take some time to link their values to your values and see how their values contribute to you living out your values. Love them for who they are, allowing them to love you for who you are.

Living inspired is not quiet, careful and uneventful; quite the contrary. What makes the difference is living from the heart, honoring everyone in their values and realizing everything (even when it doesn’t seem so) is always for your highest good, always. What a joy it is as a family to live an Inspired Education where relationships are in harmony and we allow and honor the flow of everyone’s living and growing together.

“Wisdom is the instantaneous recognition that a crisis is a blessing.” – Dr. John Demartini

Parents Inspired to Action:

Create a list of your five to 10 highest values. Place them in order of priority.

Create a list of your spouse’s five to 10 highest values, or better yet do this together and share with each other.

Link your values to your spouse’s values and see how you’re supporting each other in living your highest values. Where does it seem like there needs to be more support and start doing what it takes.

Begin the practice of living from your heart with your loved ones and reflecting from your heart the words and feelings: “Thank you” and “I love you.”

Be patient and kind to yourself as well as your other family members, helping each of you learn and grow, achieving your highest values, and fulfilling your lifelong purpose.

Children Inspired to Action:

Create a list of each child’s five to 10 highest values. Place them in order of priority.

Find opportunities to support their values unconditionally.

Teach your children that when they are faced with a decision to ask themselves, such as “Does this add more life to all and less to none?” always look for the win-win in every situation being mindful of others.You might be wondering what kind of systems you can incorporate to get the results you’re looking for in your own homeschool and life. What are the daily details to make it happen? Trial and error can take a lot of time. Successful people always incorporate the help of mentors and coaches so they don’t have to re-invent the wheel. If you would like a more systematic approach that includes the details to help you produce real change fast, I recommend joining the Mentor Mastery Inner Circle. It keeps you inspired and you receive coaching directly from Donna in the most important things for setting up simple, effective systems giving your children an education in excellence while creating family harmony. It’s easy. It’s affordable. Get started today at www.donnavailinternational.com/inner-circle.html.